Family Battle Plan

Do you not agree that our culture is invading our homes with inappropriate sex and violence by using technological weapons such as TV, Computers, Cell-phones and other advancing techno-gadgets? Do I sense an "AMEN!" in answer to that ? Well, if so, I would say that you'd also agree that every home or family needs to have a battle plan to hold off this invasion. And that's what we plan to help you with here.

On our BPM web page Call to Arms, we asked you some diagnostic questions. Answering "YES" to any of these questions, pointed you to take action in building a personal home/family battle plan. Well, below BPM will provide you with some answers, suggestions, or further questions to help you in building a home battle plan.

Diagnostic questions ... followed by BPM helper information

Do you have a PC in a child's room? With Internet access?

No dependent child, especially those under the age of 21, should have a computer which can be used to access the Internet in a room of your home where his/her computer use is not openly visible. Especially for younger children, and even more so for teens, home PCs should be out in open areas where parents ALWAYS have visual access to the use of the computer.

Do you have a TV in a child's room? With cable?

These days TV use should be supervised pretty closely, once again especially with younger children. Kids soak up far more than we imagine from TV; and for many kids, our culture is being defined by the TV. No you child should have access to any channel which casually models or promotes anti-Christian values. So, do you have TV utilization systems in place to protect your kids... things like channel blocking and/or digital tracking so that you know when/how the TV is being viewed?

Do you have an Internet-connected, unmonitored, unfiltered computer in the home ?

IF SO, you're gambling that your kids can handle their own computer use; and they CANNOT or WILL NOT. My dear fellow parent, kids are sinners; and they are clever! You simply must have some surveillance software which monitors - by password for each child - what web sites are accessed. And you also simply MUST have filtering software as well. We at BPM recommend Safe-Eyes software [access available from our Home Page where you will see the Safe Eyes banner link]; but there are other good systems available as well.

Do you have a family policy for television viewing? Is it enforced?

BPM recommends having a WRITTEN family policy as to how the TV is to be used by all in the home, including the parents. If your kids are over 5, they should be included in a family meeting where this policy is discussed and finalized; and then all tin the family should sign the policy. If there are breeches to this covenant, the parents can go back and refer to the signed document in the future.

Do you use parental controls on your television, set to filter content?

This is a bit redundant to items above; however repetition teaches. So, your home simply must have a TV system in place where you , the parent, control what is watched ( and not watched).

Again redundancy teaches! Why have pay-per-view at all; but if you do, having the ability to lock it from use by younger kids, especially teens, is essential.

Do you feel threatened by the constant onslaught of hyper sexualized advertising on TV, radio and billboards?

Okay, we maybe going overboard with all the repetition; but your home battle plan needs to include ways in which you're limiting or monitoring what images your kids are seeing, hearing, or learning. And you need to be interacting or engaging them when they see/learn things which will creep into their mind set, and they will!

Do you feel the friction of trying to lead the life of a Christian in our sex-crazed society?

Of course you do, unless you have your head in the sand. So, how do we cope with this friction since we IN the world but don't want to be OF the world? we, we do so by insuring that the family has a plan to "burn" God's word into the hearts and minds of our kids. God's word tells you that you can be successful as a parent in the world if you have God's word deeply implanted in your heart and you convey it to your kids (check me, out by reviewing Isaiah 55:11, Psalm 119:9-11 and Joshua 1:8).

Do you feel the need to make changes in your life and in your family's life? Do you know what to do?

Well, if so, use the questions/answers above to help you build your own battle plan.

Does your church have a program in place to help parents and families deal with the issues of pornography, sexuality and habitual sin?

If not, Battle Plan Ministry stands ready to help your church do so. Contact us; we'll help your church !